May is Older Americans Month, a time to recognize the contributions of older adults and highlight efforts to support them. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is using the month to help older Americans stay safe from scammers.
According to PCSO, younger generations are more likely to fall victim to scams and fraud overall, particularly social media scams, employment scams and cryptocurrency schemes. Older adults, however, are more often targeted in financial scams.
"People age 70 to 79 had a median financial loss of $800, while those over 80 lost about $1,500. Worse yet, in some of the most severe cases, older Americans lost their life savings," the PCSO press release said.
One of the most common scams targeting older adults is tech support fraud, according to PCSO. Officials said older generations may be more vulnerable because they did not grow up using computers or cell phones.
These scams can begin with a phone call, text message or popup notification claiming to be from tech support. Some popups warn users that their device has been compromised in an attempt to scare victims into responding..
Deputy Geoffrey Moree, with the PCSO media relations and crime prevention unit, said one of the most common scams the agency sees involves scammers impersonating law enforcement officers.
“They will look up deputies in the department and impersonate them,” Moree said. “They will call someone saying they owe money for a warrant or failed to pay a traffic ticket. We will never ever call you under any circumstances asking for money.”
Another common scam involves victims receiving notifications claiming they were billed for tech support or antivirus subscriptions. Officials said these scams not only steal money but can also collect personal information from victims.
Moree said fake Amazon and bank text messages and emails are also common. One way to identify a fraudulent email, he said, is by checking the sender’s email address, which is often not legitimate.
Moree also warned about “carrier scams,” which have recently appeared in nearby Manatee County. In these scams, victims receive calls claiming their bank account has been compromised and are instructed to withdraw their money and hand it to a courier to deposit in another safe location.
"This is scary because the carrier knows you have all this money on you and if you change your mind, you open up the possibilities of being physically robbed," Moree said.
Chambers Bank said the five most common scams they encounter are impersonation scams involving banks, businesses and the IRS, unusual activity alerts sent by text or email, authorized payment scams, lottery scams and wire fraud emails.
Moree said the best defense against scams is taking control of the situation.
“Hang up the phone. You won’t offend anybody, and then double-check the information,” Moree said. “Take control. If Apple contacts you or your bank contacts you, verify it by contacting Apple or your bank yourself.”
Moree said he has personally received scam emails claiming his card had been used in Atlanta. Instead of responding to the message, he contacted his bank directly and confirmed it was fraudulent.
"They use fear and intimidation," Moree said. "Scamming is a full time job and unfortunately they keep finding new ways."
The PCSO Media Relations and Crime Prevention Unit also offers scam prevention presentations. Residents in Pinellas County can request a presentation to learn more about scam prevention and trending fraud tactics.